Just To See You Smile
by McHottie
Summary: Sequel to A Continent Apart. With a baby on the way and a budding relationship, Mark and Addison feel like they have it all...at first. Maddison and maybe some MerDer.
1. Starry Night, Starry Eyes

"Mark?" I paused in the quiet house to listen. "Mark? Are you here?"

I shrugged. My brownstone appeared to be empty, yet there was a beer sitting on the coffee table. Of course, there wasn't a coaster under the perspiring drink. _Mark knows to use a coaster. What's going on? He wouldn't leave a cold beer sitting on a table._ I continued into the bedroom, looking for any other sign that Mark was in the house. It was empty, but a light was on in the room directly across the hall. It was the room that had been Derek's office. Suddenly, I felt scared. Derek was still in Seattle, and I was supposed to send the rest of his things to him as soon as I got back. No one was allowed in Derek's office except him and occasionally me. I opened the door slowly, a vase from the hall in my hand as a makeshift weapon.

"Hey, Addie! I wasn't expecting you home so soon."

"Mark! What are you doing in here?"

"Well, Derek's moving out, right?"

"Yeah. I'm supposed to send his stuff to Seattle. Where is his stuff? What are you doing in here?"

"His stuff is packed in boxes, completely organized in true Derek fashion. The boxes are in the basement, ready to send."

"But why? And why are you painting this room?"

"This room is closest to yours. I thought it would be best for the nursery. It's the perfect size. Plus, the bookshelves are built into the walls, so you don't have to worry about the baby climbing on them and getting hurt."

"You're turning the room into a nursery?"

"Yes. Our little boy deserves the best, and the best is closest to where his mommy sleeps."

"Mark, don't say stuff like that! You'll make me start crying!"

"Well, can I at least put the ring on you now?"

"We just signed the divorce papers."

"So, technically, you're divorced. We love each other, and I want the little guy to have a daddy."

"Stop saying nice things."

"So, you want me to be mean to you? I'm not going to do that," he leaned over and kissed me.

"Can I help?"

"You can sit here and keep me company. I don't want my pregnant fiancée working herself too hard." As he spoke, he lifted me up and sat me on a step ladder.

"I can help. It won't hurt him."

"No," he pulled my shirt up just a little and kissed my belly. "Sit here and be good, preggers."

"I want to help."

"Stop pouting. Here," he handed me a small paintbrush, "You can do the trim around the floor. I'm not letting you on a ladder."

"Fine. What color am I painting the trim? It looks like you have this all planned out."

"White. I thought we'd do a 'Starry Night' theme. I even found crib bedding that is the same pattern as Van Gogh's painting."

"That's cool. I really like that idea."

We worked on the nursery for a while then stopped for pizza. When we were getting ready to go back to painting, I accidentally painted Mark. He looked at the white stripe on his t-shirt, then back at me.

"You didn't."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I just turned around and you were right there."

"You painted me. Now, I get to paint you back."

"Okay. Paint me."

"Hold still," he walked over, lifted my shirt, and drew a smiley face on my stomach in blue paint.

"Hey, now! That tickles! Let me paint on your stomach."

"No, way!" he dropped the brush on a drop cloth and ran out of the room with me on his heels.

I chased him through the house and finally cornered him in my office. He held up his hands in mock surrender, a big, goofy grin on his face. I walked over to him and smacked him hard.

"What was that for?" he squawked, rubbing his backside.

"You painted my son!" I pointed to my blue skin.

"He likes it. See the smile?" Mark tried to run away again.

"Mark! You're impossible and exasperating and immature and…and…I love you!" I caught him as he tried to get past me, and we fell into the floor, laughing.

"Addie, we can make this work. You make me happier than I've been in a really long time."

He smiled down at me from our position on the floor in the hall. My head fit perfectly in the crook of his arm, and lying there, with him half on top of me, felt so right. I put my hand over my stomach, and Mark covered it with his._ Sigh._

"So, when is this little guy going to start kicking?"

"I'll be able to feel him in about two weeks. It will be a few more before you can though."

"I can't wait."

**A/N: What do you think? Probably won't be all love and cuddly. There will be some…or lots…of drama. You tell me.**


	2. Mayo On The Side

**Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's (unless you count DVDs and soundtracks.) If I did, Addie would be having a kid.**

_I could stay here forever, just like this. She's so beautiful._ I turned off the alarm just before it turned on. I didn't want to wake Addison because she'd had a particularly rough night. We'd eaten Japanese for dinner, and apparently, the little guy was not a fan. Every time she would get comfortable, she would start to feel sick again. I felt so bad for her, but there was nothing I could do to help. When she finally fell asleep in my arms, I couldn't bear to let her go. I lay there, staring at her beautiful hair and face, one hand over the baby. She turned slightly, so that she was facing me and smiled slightly. Her face didn't look quite so pale anymore. Her eyes fluttered open, and for a brief moment, she looked surprised.

"Good morning, Sweetheart," I whispered. "Are you feeling any better?"

"I think so."

"Good."

"What time is it? I didn't hear the alarm."

"It's 6:15. I didn't want it to wake you up since you had such a bad night."

"I'm okay now though. Peanut just didn't like Japanese food. I need to get ready for work."

"Are you sure you should be going to work?"

"Who's the obstetrician?" Addison looked quite annoyed.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay," she replied, her expression softening. "My hormones are going to be crazy for a while."

"That's okay. You're still cute."

I tickled her just a little, and she jumped out of bed to take a shower.

"Can I join you in there?" I asked through the door.

"NO!"

_Harumph._

"Dr. Bramwell, have you seen Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd?"

"Funny. I was just getting ready to ask you the same thing."

"So, you don't know where she is?"

"No. She was scheduled to do a C-section thirty minutes ago, but she didn't show up. We've been paging her, and she hasn't answered."

_I hope she's okay. She hasn't been herself since we had Japanese food a few nights ago._

"I'm sure she's fine, Dr. Sloan," Katie had apparently noticed the look on my face. "She's probably in the pit with some emergency case."

"I just came from there, and I didn't see her anywhere."

"Oh. Well, I was just heading to her office. Maybe she got distracted with something there."

"Good idea. Let's go."

I quickened my pace almost to a run. When I reached Addison's office, the door was shut. I knocked, but there was no answer. Now, I was really worried. _What if she's sick? Surely, she would page me if she didn't feel well and decided to go home._ As quietly as possible, I tried the doorknob. It opened to reveal a picture that will never leave my mind. Addison was sitting in her desk chair, shoes kicked off to the side. Her head was on the mahogany desk, on top of several charts, and her brilliant red hair was splayed across the expanse of her work area. A cup of coffee rested just out of reach, extremely close to the edge of the desk. The only thing out of place in Addison's pristine office was a tissue lying inches away from the trashcan. I turned to Katie, who smiled and nodded before heading back to the waiting patient. For a moment, I stood looking at my sleeping fiancé. She seemed so calm and peaceful. Then, I went over and threw away the tissue and empty cup and gently scooped Addie from her chair. I was leaving her office with her in my arms when she mumbled.

"Shoes. Don't leave my shoes," her sleepy voice reminded me to take the red Manolo Blahnik heels.

A few hours later, Addison paged me 911. Thinking something was seriously wrong, I let a resident take over the surgery I was performing to answer the page. When Addison answered her phone, she began to yell at me.

"Why did you take me home? Why didn't you wake me up?"

"You…"

"No! You should've woke me up! I didn't have time to sleep today, and you brought me home and put me in bed."

"Sorry, Baby, but you needed the rest. You were obviously exhausted. Otherwise, you wouldn't have passed out at your desk."

"I know, but…"

"No 'buts'. You needed to sleep. Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah. I feel fine, just tired."

"Go back to sleep. I'll bring home dinner in a little while."

"Okay," her tone told me that she was smiling.

_That was too easy. I wonder what she's up to…_

"Hey, Ads, I'm home!" I listened for an answer. "Addie? I brought dinner. Are you hungry? Addie? Where are you?"

I had started to unload the food from a bag when I heard pounding on the stairs. The pounding continued through the house and into the kitchen, announcing Addison's presence. She bounced across the kitchen and jumped into my arms, wrapping her legs around my waist. I stumbled backward slightly before noticing the grin on her face. It was a grin that plainly said "I did something you wouldn't want me to." _Oh, boy. I wonder what kind of mess I'm going to find myself in. Do I dare ask her what she's up to?_

"What did you do?"

"Nothing," was the singsong reply.

"Addison," I put on a mock stern face and pretended to be serious.

"I didn't do anything wrong."

"That means you did, I think."

"I did not."

"Okay, preggers, you sound like a kid. Just tell me what kind of mess you've gotten yourself into."

"I didn't get myself into a mess. I got you into one."

"What did you buy and what tools do I need to assemble it?"

"Well… I sort of decided to redecorate my office, but that's not the important part. I love you."

"I love you, too. Addie, wha…"

"Ooh! Food!" she squealed. "Let's eat! We're starving!"

"Tell me what you did first."

"How about what I didn't do?" she suggested, and I glared at her. "Okay. I might have decided to repaint my office in addition to all the new furniture….don't look at me like that…working on the nursery is fun, so I decided to do my office too. But the thing is, I changed into something of yours before I finished my nap, and I…"

"Addie, please tell me you didn't get paint on my lucky hooded sweatshirt."

"Oh, I didn't. It's worse," her smile had faded now, and I was beginning to get scared. "I sort of cut it in half."

"How did you cut my shirt in half? No, wait. I don't even want to know." I plopped her down in a chair and ran toward her office.

"I'm so sorry, Mark! I didn't mea…"

"ADDISON! COME HERE RIGHT NOW!" I walked into her office to find a bigger mess than I had bargained for.

"I'm sorry!" she called from the hallway

"Why is there blood everywhere?"

"It slipped," she said, pointing to Derek's saw, and my fears escalated. "I was trying to make that thing over there short enough, but I was all sweaty, so I took off your shirt. When the saw got the shirt, I tried to grab it, but it was too late. I'm so sorry!" her eyes glistened with tears.

"I don't care about the shirt! Why is there blood on the floor, the shirt, and the saw?"

"The saw slipped and sort of hit my leg."

As what she'd just revealed registered in my brain, I reached over and pulled her sweatpants off. A large piece of gauze covered the middle of her left thigh. _Do I dare see what's under that?_ I gently removed the gauze and found twelve stitches underneath.

"It's not as good as you would have done it, but I think I did a pretty good job."

"You did a…wait a sec…you sutured your own leg?"

"You sutured your own face last summer when you fell of my horse."

"Oh, right. Was it really deep?"

"Not too bad. I sewed it up, and it was fine."

"Addie, you're crazy. What possessed you to use a saw?"

"I don't know," she shrugged.

I sighed, shaking my head in disbelief. She was still grinning as widely as she had been before. Deciding it would be best to sort out the mess in Addison's office later, I reminded her that dinner was downstairs and getting cold. Her response was to grab my hand and tug me the whole way back to the kitchen.

"Is this your way of paying me back for bringing you home?"

"I hadn't intended it that way. I got bored and decided to redecorate. It just so happens that I also created a mess for you."

"Let's just eat. You probably are starving now."

"Not too bad, actually. I ate a grape jelly, mayonnaise, and hot dog sandwich not too long ago," she said this as if it were a completely normal combination.

"You ate…what?" I shuddered.

"Grape jelly, mayonnaise, and hot dogs."

"That is disgusting!"

"I can't help it."

"I know you can't. How about some real food?" I asked, taking the Chinese out of its boxes.

"That is real food!"

"Well, I brought Chinese food."

"Mmm. That sounds good. Where's the mayonnaise?"

Not knowing what else to do, I handed her the bottle of Kraft Miracle Whip and continued setting out the food. When her plate was full, she turned the bottle upside down and squirted everything on the plate, muttering about how Miracle Whip wasn't the same.

**AN: I've actually seen someone ingest that particular combination (with the hot dogs.) Believe me, I couldn't make that up. My job sucks. Reviews make me happy. Help me forget about work.**


	3. That's My Boy

_Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you._ Mark's birthday was fast approaching, only two days away, and I still had no idea what to get him. I'd planned the party, everything was ready for that, but I still didn't have a clue about a good present. I wanted this one to an especially good present because Mark was dreading turning forty. He'd been moody and a little depressed for about a week.

"Not now, Peanut, Mommy is working," I muttered, elbow deep in a patient's abdomen.

"Excuse me?" Katie looked up from her position across the table, confused.

"My son is kicking me. He's demanding cookie dough ice-cream."

"Oh! Can I feel him?"

"I want to let Mark feel him first."

"Did he just start kicking? Why hasn't Mark felt him yet?"

"No, he's been kicking for a while. It seems like every time Mark tries to feel him, he stops kicking. I really want to surprise Mark with a good kick, and I've promised not to let anyone else feel him until he does."

"Aww. Have you figured out a birthday present yet?"

"No. Keep thinking about it for me."

"Dr. Shepherd?" a nurse interrupted. "The other Dr. Shepherd is paging you."

"Call him for me, Erika."

"Sure thing," she paused to dial his number. "He wants to speak with you privately. He says he is about to leave Seattle for New York right now."

"Oh, okay. Thank-you, Erika."

_I wonder what that's about…_

After the surgery was finished, I knocked on Mark's office door. I didn't want to tell him Derek was coming to New York, but I felt I probably should let him know.

"What?" came an annoyed and angry voice.

"I'm sorry…I…"

"Oh, hey, Gorgeous," his tone instantly softened.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry. I'm just in a bad mood."

"Oh. Well, I'll come back later," I tried to get away because I didn't want to put him in a worse mood.

"Come back here. What's up?"

"Nothing."

"Addie, I'm not going to get mad at you. I'm just aggravated right now. Come here," he patted his lap and motioned for me to come around the desk.

I settled myself into his lap, and one of his hands immediately went to my stomach. I hoped Peanut would start kicking again. He bounced my stomach just a little and made some faces at it. Then, he sighed in frustration.

"Why won't you kick me? I know you're kicking your mommy," he was taking on an upset tone again.

"He's shy."

"Just like his daddy used to be," Mark said, frowning. "You have no idea how much I wish he could be mine. I love him just the same, but I want to be his one and only daddy," this was a never ending conversation.

"I know," I sighed, and Mark put his arms around me.

"I'm sorry, Baby. I shouldn't be so down. It's depressing you, and that's not good for little Peanut."

"I have to tell you something that you probably won't like. Derek is coming to New York today. He just called to tell me."

"I don't mind Derek. It's the other way around," he snapped, then looked immediately apologetic. "Ignore my bad mood."

"It's okay. You're allowed to have mood swings, too," I teased.

"You're so great. I love you," he gave a small smile and kissed me.

"I love you, too. Now, I have to get back to work."

"No, you don't. Stay here, and I'll pay you," he said, nibbling at my neck and ear.

"I can't. I have patients to see. You do as well." I shivered.

"Okay. I'll see you at home. Take care of yourself and feed the little guy."

"I will," he reached out and patted my backside as I walked toward the door.

_So, it's not just his birthday that's got him depressed. I wish there was something I could do to make him feel better about the baby. He obviously loves him so much._ After I finished up with my patients, I headed home and made a short stop at Ben and Jerry's for some cookie dough ice-cream. When I arrived, a car I did not recognize was sitting in the small driveway. It took only a second for me to realize that Derek was sitting in the driver's seat, reading a book.

"Hello, Addison," he looked up to find me staring at him.

"Hi."

"How are you…and the baby?"

"We're fine. What's up?"

"You said I could come visit you and the baby any time. Plus, I do need to talk to you."

"Okay…" I was not sure if I should feel worried or not.

"I think I'm going to ask Meredith to marry me."

"Really? That's wonderful!"

"Is everything okay with you and Mark?" he asked quickly, before I could say anything more about him and Meredith.

"Yes. He's been absolutely wonderful these last few months."

"I'm so happy with Meredith, and I want you to be as happy as I am. Are you happy?"

"Very happy. What's going on?" I couldn't stand his procrastinating any longer.

"I wanted to come and make sure he's treating you and our baby right."

"He's been nothing short of amazing," I was being truthful, but I couldn't hide the hint of worry in my voice.

Derek eyed me skeptically. He reached out to touch my stomach but pulled away awkwardly.

"You can touch him. He is your baby," I tried to sound sincere, but a small part of me agreed with Mark.

"You've gotten…well…I mean…He's grown so much. I wish I could be here to watch him grow."

Not knowing how to reply, I stood there with Derek's hand on my stomach. After an uncomfortable silence, Derek looked up at me. He hesitated briefly, as if unsure of what he was going to say.

"I am six months along now."

"I know, and I've been thinking about you and the baby a lot," he paused, and I nodded. "I want my son to have the very best of everything. The best schools, the best clothes, the best parents."

I held up a hand to stop him, but he took my hand in his own and put a finger to my lips.

"It wouldn't be best for him to have parents on opposite ends of the country. That just isn't fair," he paused again. "So, I've talked to Meredith and Richard about this, and they agreed with me. I've also talked to some people here in New York, and they agree as well."

"Agree?"

"I want my son to have two parents in the same city. Not one in New York and one in Seattle."

"Okay…"

"And, well," unshed tears threatened to spill over and his voice cracked slightly. "Well, I think that, from now on, we should refer to him as my nephew or something..."

"But, Derek!" I interrupted.

"No. He deserves two parents," as he spoke, he pulled something from a briefcase. "I've already signed them, and I hope you and Mark will, too."

"Are these…?"

"Adoption papers."

"Oh, Derek, you don't have to…"

"Tell Mark 'Happy Birthday' for me," he was fighting harder to choke back the tears.

"Do you want to stay for the party? It's the day after tomorrow."

"Nah. I believe you, you know, when you say that he's good to you. I've had a few spies keeping check on things for me. I wanted to make sure he was good enough for you and my boy. That's how I decided to do this."

"It really does mean a lot to us. Thank-you." I smiled slightly, looking down at the certificate that would make Mark's birthday truly happy.

"Well, you take good care of yourself and the baby. I still want to be here when he's born."

"No problem."

With that, he put a gentle hand on my stomach one last time, kissed me on the cheek, and was gone.

After the final guest had left our living room, I collapsed into a chair, completely exhausted from planning and carrying out Mark's fortieth birthday party. The party itself was spectacular. We had dinner at Mark's favorite Italian restaurant, a little place called Guisseppe's, then the guests arrived at our house for the party. Drinks were served and everyone danced. Everyone had a great time, it seemed, except Mark. He was still gloomy. When he'd opened the final present, an autographed copy of one of his favorite Guns 'n' Roses CDs (from me with a little help from Katie, who's father knows somebody or other), he claimed he didn't feel well and headed upstairs. I mustered the strength to go upstairs and check on him.

"Honey? Are you feeling okay?"

"Damn it, Addison. I want to be left alone."

"Mark!" I cried, hurt by his outburst.

"I'm sorry, Baby. I just don't feel so hot."

"Can I cheer you up?" I sat down next to him on the bed and began rubbing his shoulders.

"Addie, please," he turned over and pushed me back a little so that my baby bump was no longer on his back.

"I have another present for you."

"Save it for tomorrow."

"But today's your birthday!"

"Addison! Stop bothering me!"

"Just because you're pissed about turning forty doesn't mean you have to take it out on me!" I yelled back and threw the envelope containing the adoption certificates onto the bed before running from the room in tears.

**AN: This part is Mark's POV.**

When the door slammed behind Addison, I immediately felt incredibly sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at her, but I didn't know how to explain how I was feeling. My father never showed any kind of emotion except anger, and my mom was impatient when any of us tried to show emotion. I couldn't figure out how to tell her what I was feeling, and I ended up being mad instead.

_She's having Derek's baby. Why can't he be mine? I love her more than I've ever loved anyone and probably more than Derek ever loved her. It's not fair that he gets to be the father. I want to be a daddy. A real daddy, not a substitute. God, she's so beautiful pregnant, and I keep cursing my own damn luck that I didn't put the baby in her. I want to be a good father to him. I want to be better than my father was to me. If he ever treats his wife the way I just treated Addison, I'll bust his ass. I don't care if he is forty. I have to tell her. I have to apologize to her. It's not fair to her or Peanut. She probably thinks I'm bitter about turning forty. I wish that was the problem. I've treated her so terrible the last few weeks._

I turned over to look at whatever Addison had thrown onto the bed. Turning over the manila envelope, I saw handwriting that I recognized on the front. Derek's. I sighed, angry and frustrated, but I opened the envelope anyway. A note slipped out, also written in the very familiar handwriting of my former best friend.

_Mark, _the scrawling writing read, _I've been thinking about Addison, the baby, and you a lot over the last few months. She's happy with you, happier than she ever was with me. I only want what is best for her and my unborn son. She has me convinced that you are it. I sincerely hope that you will not prove me wrong in the decision I have made. Do me the honor of signing this certificate and give my son the best father he could ever hope to have. Philia, Derek._

He had signed the note using the word our college fraternity used in saying "brotherly love." Inside the envelope were adoption papers. I pulled them out, read them slowly, and saw where Addison and Derek had both signed to terminate Derek's rights as the father and give them to me. I choked on tears I hadn't realized were coming out until that moment. Quickly, I found a pen, signed the papers, and went to find Addison. She was sitting in the now finished nursery, on a blanket in the middle of the floor. Her back was to the door, but I could tell she was still crying. She fingered the edge of the blanket gently, the rest of her body curled as small as she could get it given how the baby had grown. Her awe-inspiring hair cascaded down the back of her maternity shirt. A small, bare space between her shirt and pants revealed part of the cluster of freckles that closely resembles a woman and child holding hands. It was a sight that will continue to amaze me. I crept up behind her and joined her on the blanket.

"I've been a complete jerk, and I'm really sorry," I whispered into her hair, wrapping my arms around my son.

"It's not my fault!" she sobbed. "And you've been treating me like it is!"

"I know. Here," I handed her the certificate entitling me to full rights as the legal guardian of Baby Sloan. "Thank-you, for the best birthday present ever."

"I want you to be his daddy, his real daddy, but you have to talk to me before you're angry or it won't work," she wiggled herself into the space between my legs.

"I know. I'm going to work really hard on that, I promise. For you and Peanut Sloan," I pulled her close to me, and she giggled. Then, her stomach bounced into my stomach. "What was that?"

"He kicked you."

"I guess he likes me after all."

"Of course he does…Daddy."

"Well, you tell him that I like him, too, Mommy."

"He knows. You know what else?"

"Hmm?" I was enraptured by my now eagerly kicking son.

"He says he has a birthday present for you," she looked at me with an expression that I didn't quite understand.

"What's that?"

"He's decided that this month is going to be 'make-Mommy-feisty' month," she said with a sly grin.

_So, that's why she was giving me the "I want to take your clothes off" face._

"I'm not going to object to that. The kid has great gift ideas," I said, helping her off the floor. "That's my boy."

We headed back to the bedroom as quickly as Addison could go. I slipped her shirt over her head and kissed all the way down to her navel, which was beginning to turn itself inside out. My son kicked me in the face, and my fiancé yanked my shirt over my head. _Her craving this month is sex…I could get used to this._

**AN: So, this got really long. I was going to cut it off, but I couldn't find the right place. Plus, I'm going to start moving ahead in time a little faster, so two chapters devoted to one week doesn't work. Up next: baby names and….feel free to give some suggestions.**


	4. Taking Advantage and Taking Control

It had been a long day, and I was so glad to finally go to bed. It just so happens that my son had other plans. Addison had put her now quite large tummy into my back, and our son was kicking with all his might. She complained that if he kept her awake, he should keep me awake too. However, Addison was sleeping soundly and little Peanut was bouncing up and down like crazy. I knew better than to try to scoot away. Addison would wake up and give me one of her hormonal speeches about how he's my son too and that she better not be the only one doing three a.m. feedings. Kick, kick, punch. _He's going to be one tough kid. How does she sleep through that? Maybe she's gotten used to it by now. I guess it's worth it to watch her waddle around._

For two months she craved mayonnaise. For another two months it was sex. Though that craving was especially nice, it wore me out. There were plenty of other interesting cravings, too. The second trimester seemed to keep her full of energy as she was constantly bouncing and pouncing on me. This month her craving is pedicures. It's getting expensive, but I'd do anything for her and Peanut. _We've got to give him a real name._ I tried to move a little without waking Addison, but she stirred anyway.

"Will you polish my toenails?" she mumbled.

"Addie, it's four o'clock in the morning."

"So?"

"Ooh! He's kicking again!" she was fully awake now, and why shouldn't she be? She went to bed at nine.

"I know. He's been kicking since one."

"I'm sorry, Sweetie, did he wake you up?" she feigned innocence.

"I haven't actually gotten to sleep yet."

"Oh. I'm hungry."

"When are you not?" I teased.

"Can we have sex?"

"Addie, you're moving too fast here. What is it that you really want?"

"Sex. Popcorn and fajitas. Blue toenails. In that order."

_I thought we were through the sex craving already!_ I sighed. It was going to be a long night.

"Mark?" I called into the brownstone. "Mark? MARK!"

"Yes, Dear?" he came into the foyer, covered in paint.

"Why are you all messy?"

"Well, your due date is next week, and we still haven't finished painting the nursery."

"Oh, yeah. We do need to finish that. Can we finish it later?"

"Honey, I've only got the one wall left. I'll be done in no time."

"Okay."

He went back to painting the nursery, and I went to sit on the couch. _Oh! Ow! Maybe I should go take some Gas-X. My stomach is really upset today._ I got up to go find some antacids and make some lunch before going back to the hospital. I'd come home to spend my lunch hour…and a half with Mark because it was his day off. Making a horrible face, I chewed some Pepto tablets and put together some sandwiches. I made a turkey sandwich with all the fixings for Mark and a PB and J for myself (and Caleb Andrew, who has decided that he doesn't like meat.)

"How's your day been?" Mark asked, polishing off his second sandwich.

"Not too bad. I walked in to find a patient and her husband having sex."

"I bet that was great for the hormones," he muttered.

"It really was," I grinned. "You know, I have some time before I have to be back at the hospital."

I began playing with his foot, then ran my foot up the inside of his leg. He shivered slightly when I reached the upper portion of his thigh. I stood and waddled over to the sink, pausing to kiss (and blow in) his ear.

"I think you're taking advantage of us guys, Addie."

"Is Dr. Mark Sloan complaining about someone wanting to sleep with him?"

He had the courtesy to blush slightly before jumping up and pushing me into the sink, his hands pulling at my clothes. _That's what I thought. And, yes, I am taking advantage._ We made our way through the hall half naked and broke a lamp on the way. Things were going really great when I suddenly had a sharp pain in my abdomen. Then, both us were covered in gooey water.

"Addie? Did you just…Is that…Are you…?" he sputtered, pulling away from me.

"Yup."

"Well, let's go to the hospital! C'mon!" he broke out into a sweat and was pulling on my arm.

"We have plenty of time," I replied, hinting that I wanted to finish what we'd started.

"Are you sure about that? Oh, wait. No! Addison Montgomery-soon-to-be-Sloan! I am not having sex with you while you're in labor!"

"Why not?"

"Addison!"

I reached up and pulled him back on top of me, kissing all the right spots. He moaned a little before shaking himself.

"No!"

"Fine then," I said, pouting. "Let me pack."

"You haven't packed yet?"

"I wasn't supposed to be in labor for another week!"

"You of all people should have known to pack before now!"

"I thought about it. I just haven't gotten around to it."

"Well, let's pack. What do you need?"

"Umm. Pajamas and house slippers. Something for the baby to wear. Blankets. Something for me to wear home."

"Ads, why didn't you do this before now?"

"You know I hate packing. Oh! Ow!" I bent over, catching myself on the edge of the bed.

I sat down for a few minutes to wait for the pain to pass then stood to continue packing. When I tried to put some more things in my suitcase, another contraction came. This time I landed in the floor. It hurt so much that I could hardly breathe. I sat in the floor against the dresser, panting. _This sucks. No wonder so many women beg me for drugs._ Just as the contraction ended, another wave of pain hit. I couldn't fight it any longer, so I started to cry.

"Mark!" I wailed, and he rushed in from another room.

"You okay? We need to go now. I'll come back and get your things when he's here safe and sound."

"No! This hurts! I can't do it. I don't want to. He can stay in."

"Addie! Addie, Baby, look at me," he put his hand under my chin and tilted my head up, taking control of the situation. "You can do this. You've already carried him this far."

"The..." I panted again, "The contractions are coming...Ow! Too fast and...oohh...They're lasting too long. There's no way we'll be able to get to the hospital in time with Manhattan rush hour traffic!"

"Take off your pants."

"What?"

"I'm going to examine your cervix. Take off your pants."

I did as he said, and he started swearing. At first, he wouldn't tell me how many centimeters, but I gathered from the look on his face that it was too many. I started panicking even more, and he gave up. He looked again, then back at my tear-streaked face.

"About eight."

"EIGHT!?" I wailed.

"Sweetie, it's okay. You're going to be fine. I'll be right here to help you."

"But…" _pant_ "I…I can't…What if something happens? I need to get to the… AUGHHHHHH!" I began to scream and squeezed Mark's hand so hard I could hear his fingers crack.

I lay back on the bed, feeling as though my body was going to split in half. Another contraction hit, and I suddenly had the urge to push hard. When I tried to push, Mark joined me in screaming.

"Woah! Woah! We're really going to do this!"

"I think so."

"Addie?" Mark looked as though something had suddenly occurred to him. "Have you been feeling okay today?"

"Yeah. Fine. I had some gas pains earlier today, but I think it was from dinner last night. Remember when I had that heartburn?"

"Addie! You've been in labor all this time!"

"Oh…" _Oops._ "I guess I have," I gave a nervous laugh before another contraction hit.

"So, what are contractions really like?"

"Each one is like a little party in my uterus! What do you think?"

"Sorry. Baby, I called 911 a little bit ago. An ambulance should be here soon. Do you think you can hold off on pushing until then?"

"NOOOOOO!" I replied, giving another push. "If you're not going to help me, then leave."

"I'm going to help. What do I need to…Ohh. Ohh. I can see his head."

I gave another big push and collapsed backward onto the bed as a wailing cry filled my bedroom. _Wahhh! WAAHH! _I gasped, sweaty and exhausted, before pushing myself up to find Mark holding our son. He was tiny and red and covered in goo but still beautiful. His bright red hair was already obvious. Mark was wrapping him into a bath towel and trying to listen to his heart with his stethoscope. He handed my son to me, tears in his eyes.

"You did a great job, Sweetie."

"Thanks," I smiled down at my son. "Welcome to the world, Caleb Andrew."

He cooed as his cries subsided into content snuffles. I looked at him, unable to believe that he was inside my body less than two hours ago. He began to fuss again, so I lifted my shirt. _He must be a smart little guy. He knows exactly what to do._

"Is anyone here?" came a voice from the front hall.

"Yes," I replied coming out of the bedroom.

"Your wife is in labor?"

"Not anymore."

"Oh, sorry. Rush hour traffic is really rough today."

"It's alright. We're both doctors. She's an obstetrician. I delivered him."

"Well, congratulations. Would you like us to go ahead and take her to the hospital?"

"If you wouldn't mind, thanks."

I returned to my future wife and son. He was still nursing away, but she'd fallen asleep with him on her chest. _She needs to be sewn up a little, and he needs to be thoroughly examined. But, this is just too beautiful._ Before waking her, I pulled out my camera and snapped a few shots. Gently, I nudged Addison's shoulder.

"Ads?" I whispered. "Baby, we need to get you guys to the hospital."

"Hmm. Oh, yeah. Do I need stitches?"

"Maybe just a few, but it's not too bad. There's an ambulance waiting to take you two to the hospital."

"Okay."

We arrived at the hospital, where our fellow doctors gathered around to see the newest addition. Everyone wanted to hold him until they realized he was still covered in birth goo, which Addison tells me has a real name that I can never remember. Both mother and baby checked out to be just fine. Addison needed only three stitches for some minimal tearing, and our little guy was at the top of the charts. While Addison was resting, I went into the nursery to check on Caleb, now cozy in a green and yellow sleeper and matching blanket. I looked into his little bassinet, awed at his beauty. _He's the spitting image of his mother, but really, what did you expect?_ I put one hand on his tummy, and he reached out to me. He wrapped his tiny hand around my index finger and pulled just a little. _So, this is what it's like to be your daddy._ In that moment, I finally felt like I was his father.

"You know, Caleb, I'd do anything in this whole world for you, anything to make you smile. Remember that, Buddy, when you're fifteen," I whispered into his perfect little ear, and a lone tear ran down my cheek.


	5. Visitor from Far Away

"Waaahhh!" Caleb's wail filled the room as it came over the baby monitor.

"Addie, isn't there something we can do for him? He cries constantly," Mark was aggravated at being woken up for the third time in one night.

"I'm sorry, but you know as well as I do that there isn't much you can do for a baby with colic."

"Just...go make him be quiet."

"Mark! I've been up with our son all night long. It's your turn to take care of him for a while."

"I have a surgery scheduled in...two hours! Addison, I haven't slept in two days. Please go take care of him!"

"I haven't slept in three months!"

"But you're on maternity leave. You can sleep later."

"Oh, no, I can't. I don't get to sleep. I have to clean up the house, do laundry, cook you dinner, and take care of Caleb."

"So nap when he naps."

"When do you think I clean and do laundry?"

"I don't know," he turned over and switched off the baby monitor.

The sudden silence was deafening. Mark gave me a nasty look before turning over and covering his head with a pillow. I turned my back to him as well and lay for a few minutes fighting tears. Finally, I got up to go check on Caleb. When I looked into the crib, Caleb's legs were doubled up; he was in pain. I picked him up and lay down on the floor on my back with his tummy on mine. I'd found this to be the only way to make him comfortable when he was feeling bad. He kicked and cried for a few more minutes before finally settling down.

"Your Uncle Derek is coming to visit you today, Caleb Andrew. He might bring you a present. I bet you'd like that, wouldn't you?"

My baby snuggled on my chest, his thumb in his mouth. Neither Mark or myself could get him to take the pacifier, but he took to his thumb on his own. It was a habit I knew Derek had as a child, and I was reluctant to mention this to Mark. I hadn't taken a pacifier or sucked my thumb as an infant, and Mark wouldn't go anywhere without "George", as he called his pacifier. Telling Mark would only lead to another fight. We'd had plenty since the birth of Caleb Andrew. Everyone at the hospital had immediately recognized him as being Derek's child, much to Mark's annoyance. Though Caleb was legally his, I sometimes wondered if Mark didn't feel like his real father. There were obvious things about Caleb that make him very different from Mark or myself, such as the way he favored his left hand. And the colic. Derek and two of his sisters were colicky babies. I could tell that Mark felt frustrated by the fact that he could only pretend to be Caleb's birth father. It was the times that he'd become exceptionally grumpy over little things, such as the crying.

When Caleb finished nursing a while later, I put him back into his crib and went to find Mark. All I found was a note on his pillow saying that he would probably be spending the night at the hospital. I sighed, hurt and frustrated by his attitude. At times, he was so amazing: doing little things to help me out like putting away his shoes or surprising the two of us with presents.

"I guess it's just you and me for a little bit, Peanut. We need to get the house all cleaned up before Uncle Derek gets here, so why don't you take a nice long nap?" I suggested with a hint of pleading.

My son's response was to let loose with another wail. He was still screaming when Derek arrived a few hours later. Needless to say, I didn't get anything done that morning. The bell rang, but I was in the middle of changing Caleb's clothes in addition to his diaper. He'd spit up all over his outfit.

"Addison?" Derek's voice in the house surprised me.

"Derek? How did you get in here?"

"I never gave back my key. Here," he worked the key from its ring. "Now, where is my so...nephew...or whatever?"

"We're calling you 'Uncle Derek'. Follow the screams."

"Colic?" he asked, handing me a cozy blue blanket, a tiny pair of shoes, and several different toys and stuffed animals.

"Yup."

"I'm sorry, Addie. I was hoping he wouldn't inherit that little family trait."

"Yeah, well," I shrugged.

When Derek had been shown into the nursery, I took advantage of the situation and jumped into the shower. Emerging thirty minutes later feeling somewhat better, I found Derek and Caleb on the floor in the nursery. Caleb was sleeping soundly across Derek's chest, and Derek was reading a magazine. He glanced up when I wandered in with a comb, hair wet and tangled and wearing a bathrobe.

"Take your time. We're fine here."

"Are you sure?"

"Addie, spend some time on you. Get dressed, polish your nails, and do your hair. Then, open your present."

"You already gave me Caleb's gifts."

"I brought you a present, too. It's in the hall."

"You didn't have to..."

"You gave birth to my son. You deserve a few presents."

I thanked him and went back into my room. I took my time in the bathroom: blow drying my hair, polishing my nails, and putting on make-up for about the third time in three months. After deciding on an outfit, black pants with a purple and white printed shirt, I went into the hall. Sure enough, there were two packages next to Derek's shoes. One was wrapped in pink paper and the other, smaller one in yellow. I opened each package carefully, trying to avoid tearing ribbons or paper. The bigger package was actually a basket containing an assortment of my favorite things. My favorite gourmet coffee, a nice pink sweater, and most of my favorite products from Crabtree and Evelyn. When I removed the yellow paper, I found a box from Tiffany's. Inside was a beautiful platinum bracelet studded with princess cut diamonds. I gasped. Derek had spent way too much money on my gift.

"Before you say anything," he was suddenly behind me, and I jumped, "I want you to have it. I'm sure you're an amazing mother, and you deserve it."

"Thank-you," I looked down at my feet, blushing.

"Would you and Mark like to have a night out? I'll watch Caleb for a while."

"I...umm...He's staying at the hospital tonight."

"You're not letting him get away with that, are you?"

"Yeah. I guess," now I was close to tears.

"Addie? What happened?"

"He gets tired of Caleb's crying, but he should be almost over the colic by now. I think he's also frustrated because he's not really Caleb's daddy. He loves him, I know, but he gets so angry with me sometimes."

"Talk to him, Addie. You need to tell him how you're feeling."

"I don't want to cause another fight."

"Call him right now and see if he'll meet you for dinner."

Leaving me with my mouth hanging open in protest, Derek went back into the nursery. I decided to take his advice and call Mark. The phone rang twice before he picked it up.

"Addie? How are you and Caleb?"

"We're fine. How's your day going?"

"I'm having a really crappy day. One of my patients died on the table. Best we can figure out, she had an allergic reaction to the anesthesia. Plus, the chief is on everyone's case today," he paused momentarily, "And I can't stop thinking about you. I'm so sorry that I was mean to you this morning. It's not your fault that Caleb's tummy hurts and that he cries. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

_Am I talking to Mark Sloan? Who are you? Where did you put my fiance?_

"Mark? What...why...?" I was very confused.

"Katie called me out on my crap today. You would have been proud. I yelled at her friend, and she asked me how you tolerated 'such an ass'. I realized that I didn't know how or why you'd tolerated me lately. So, I'm sorry."

"Thank-you, for apologizing. I love you, but we do need to talk about some things. How about going out to dinner tonight?"

"We can't leave Caleb."

"Derek's here, remember."

"Oh. Right. So...you think he'd baby-sit?"

"Yeah. He offered."

"Okay. I'll leave here about six and come get you."

"Be thinking about what you want to eat. I love you."

"Love you, too. Bye, Baby. Give Caleb a kiss for me."

GAGA

_Addison has been so forgiving, and I've been such a loser. The baby has been much harder on her than it has been on me. The next time she asks me to help her, I'm going to do it no matter what I have going on. I'm not going to make her want to leave me again._ I hung up my cell phone feeling better than I had all day long and made a pact to treat Addison the way she deserves to be treated. After several rounds of discussion with lawyers about the dead patient, I was finally ready to go and meet Addie. The family decided against holding the hospital and myself liable, pending autopsy results. The distraught mother and father had no idea that their 21 year old daughter was having implants. _My children will know better than to pull tricks like that on me, having surgery without telling anyone. Sheesh. _I left the hospital at approximately twenty minutes until five, knowing that Addison would be happy to see me home earlier than expected. The first thing I noticed when I got home was the unusual quiet in the house.

"Ads?" I called into the silence. "Addie?"

Shhh!" came the whispered response a moment later. "Caleb is being quiet. Don't scare him."

"How? Where is he?"

"Derek is holding him in the nursery."

"Oh," I felt slightly annoyed, but then I noticed how beautiful Addison looked.

Her brilliant red hair was shining, and she was wearing make-up for only the second or third time since Caleb made his appearance into the world. Not to mention her black dress. _She knows that's my favorite dress. God, she looks amazing._ I couldn't tear my eyes from her retreating form as she headed back into the bedroom to find some shoes. Against my better judgement, I peaked into the nursery to check on Caleb...and Derek. Derek was sitting in the floor, leaning against the wall, with Caleb sprawled across his lap. The little guy was sucking happily on a pacifier and staring at Derek's watch.

"Hello," said Derek, looking up from the book he was reading.

"Hi," I cleared my throat nervously. "Will you...uh...be okay with him?"

"We'll be fine. You two have fun. Lighten up, I'm not going to steal him."

"Yeah. Okay. Thanks." I backed out of the nursery as quickly as possible.

"Come on, Mark. I just fed him so at best we have three hours before he starts to get upset," Addison went into the nursery to kiss Caleb then pulled me toward the door.

"I don't know, Addie. He's still so small. Why don't we just take him?"

"Mark! He'll be fine. Derek is really great with him."

"Okay," I was hesitant to agree.

"Let's go!" she tugged on my arm again.

I'd made reservations at the Rainbow Room because it's one of Addison's favorite places. When I told her, her entire face lit up in a smile I hadn't seen in a long time. Dinner was delicious as always, and I apologized to Addison again before she could say anything. We discussed the last few months, and she told me how she'd been feeling lately. Then, I told her about the agreement I'd made with myself.

"Addie, from now on, when I'm being an ass, please tell me that I'm hurting your feelings. Sometimes I don't realize what I'm saying is that hurtful."

"I know. I'm sorry I didn't say anything. I just didn't want us to argue in front of Caleb."

"I love you, Addie. I can't wait to marry you."

"As soon as I'm back to my normal size."

"But you look great now," I said truthfully as I'd been noticing how breast feeding affected her body. _Wow._

Not too much later, we finished our dinner and went for a walk through a little park near the house. Arm in arm, we strolled around the park. Addison's delicate fingers fit perfectly in my hand, something I often took for granted. She shivered slightly, so I gave her my jacket. Suddenly, she stopped in front of a playground. She looked from the playground back to me with a cute expression on her face.

"What do you want to do?" I asked, knowing the answer already.

"Teeter-totter," she replied with a smile.

"Tonight has been great," I said a while later on the walk home, "I'm sorry I haven't taken you out in so long."

"It's okay. I probably wouldn't have wanted to go until now anyway. As it is, I miss Caleb a whole lot."

"Let's go..." I began to say before she grabbed me and started kissing me.

We were still mostly intertwined when we went into the house. Derek came into the hall and nearly choked when he saw us. He headed back into the nursery, muttering that Caleb had been fine. Taking advantage of the quiet house and the help, I pulled Addison into the bedroom. At first, she didn't want me to see her after baby body and blushed as I unzipped her dress. I was afraid it might hurt her after giving birth, but she said it didn't. We soon fell asleep, Addison laying across my chest. She didn't move when Derek brought in Caleb, so I put a little space between us for the baby. All night we slept, foreheads and legs touching with Caleb in between us. He never made a sound.


End file.
